A Solitary Star
by Sahara Storm
Summary: [Oneshot, IchiRuki] Traditions will die. But, inevitably, they will be revived. Ichigo, Rukia, and a solitary star.


**Title:** A Solitary Star

**Fandom:** Bleach

**Pairing:** Ichigo/Rukia.

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **777 (…how uncanny)

**Summary/Description: **Traditions will die.But, inevitably, they will revive.

**Warning/Spoilers:** No spoilers. Mild cursing.

**A/N:** Some Christmas cuteness; late, but feh.

**Dedication: **For Goldberry-san. :-)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

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"… I don't get it." 

"It's a symbol, okay?"

"A symbol of what?"

An amber glare shot her way.

"…The season. A symbol of the season, alright?"

Rukia scratched her chin.

"… I still don't get it. What do a guy who died, a fat man in red, and a big, florid, ridiculous-looking tree have to do with each other?"

Ichigo slammed a fist onto the table, and looked up from his book, directing his irritated gaze to the dark-haired girl perched on his window sill.

"They have _everything_ to do with each other," he growled. "Now shut up and imbibe the Christmas cheer, damn it."

Rukia shrugged, and took another sip of the eggnog he had brought up for her.

"It seemed fun though," she commented, staring out into the dark night sky. Its obsidian canvas was dotted with a multitude of shining golden stars, like gems set in silk. "When you and your family decorated the tree, I mean."

The boy at the desk shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, well, it was sort of a tradition we had, from back when my mother was alive." He paused, laying his pen to rest beside the book. "It was sorta silly, actually." He propped his face up in his hand, elbow to the desk, a sort of nostalgic look washing over his visage. "We'd form a line, and she'd hand out the decorations for us to hang on the tree, one by one. Only she could decide which ornament you'd get. And when we were all done, Pops would lift her up, and she'd put the star on top." Amber eyes flickered with reminiscence. "…It was the only star in the bunch."

A small, silly little smile had draped over his lips. It looked so foreign, and yet so _right_. _He should smile more, _she thought briefly. Discarding the thought as soon as it came, she said, quietly,

"I saw no star this year."

Nonchalance swiftly took up residence on the orange-haired boy's countenance, and he shrugged it off.

"Well, after she died, none of us really wanted to do it. It just… didn't seem right."

Rukia took another sip, and stared at him with carefully controlled features.

"We should, though," he continued, just short of wistfully. "We shouldn't let the tradition die."

The violet-eyed girl said nothing for a while. Then,

"I could… well… that is, if you want… I don't want to be disrespectful… but if you'd like… I can, you know… well, we can, put the star. Only if you want, though." Rukia noted the hesitancy and haltingness in her voice, and detested it.

Ichigo turned, and they locked eyes. The boy had a most unreadable look in his eyes. For a moment, she thought that he would hate her for even trying to replace his mother like that, for marring her memory. Presently, his features eased though, and he gave something akin to a smile.

"Sure, why not? We'll do it tonight when the idiot drags Karin and Yuzu off carolling." He gave a discreet shudder, while Rukia tried to pretend that a little thrill hadn't run through her at the word 'we'.

"And hey, Rukia?"

"Hmm?"

"…Thanks."

She set her lips in a small smirk that wanted to become a grin.

"No problem."

They sat in comfortable silence, eyes meeting from opposite ends of the room. The stillness reigned for minutes on end, before Rukia's soul-phone began to chirp insistently, slicing through it. The two dragged their eyes away.

"You know, I still don't get it, about the Christmas tree," the ex-Shinigami remarked as she pulled on her soul-glove.

The boy who had taken her place rolled his eyes as he walked over to where she sat at the window.

"Of course you don't. Dumb-ass."

Ichigo wasn't sure, but it felt like Rukia punched him a _little_ harder than it was necessary to push his soul out of his body.

He grinned at her nevertheless, hefting his zanpakutou over his shoulders. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the window with him. They landed in synchrony on the pavement outside, and at once began sprinting off towards the Hollow's location, Rukia at the head.

Ichigo looked up at the inky, star-dotted sky as they ran. The stars shone with a luminescence that almost outdid the moon. He usually didn't have time for such things, but he couldn't help notice that they were beautiful, in a simple, pure way. His eyes flicked to the girl in front of him, and he smiled a secret smile. Not quite as beautiful, however, as the solitary star that he and Rukia would mount later that night.

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**A/N:** A little too sappy for IchiRuki, I think, but I tried. Review! 


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